NO ONE knows for sure what Bob Arum did to convince Manny Pacquiao that his future lies with him.
But yesterday, Arum emerged triumphant in the battle for the mind and hands of the country?s sports superstar when the two formally announced an alliance that left Oscar de la Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions eating dust.
For sure, it was not only the reported $ 1 million signing bonus which Arum dropped on Pacman?s already bountiful bank account. But it probably helped Pacquiao to affix his signature on a contract that would allow the 75-year-old promoter to chart the boxer?s future.
First for 2007 is a projected fight on April 28 in Las Vegas against Marco Antonio Barrera, who Arum will try to sign up for a $ 2.5 million purse and a share on the pay-per-view sales.
The Barrera fight, however, will be determined in part by the spurned De La Hoya who holds the fight rights for the Mexican world champion whom Pacquiao demolished in Texas four years ago and has since been aching for a rematch.
“I thought about this for a long time and I really trust Top Rank,” said Pacquiao who yesterday finally ended the tug-of-war over his future fights by siding with Arum.
After throwing his lot with the American promoter, Pacquiao said among the first to know of his decision was his Hollywood-based trainer Freddie Roach adding that the 46-year-old cornerman “supports me in everything I do.”
Roach and Shelly Finkel, whose managerial contract with Pacquiao expired on August 12 this year, were in the country recently to help persuade Pacquiao to go with GBP. Finkel spent just a couple of days but Roach stayed behind for a few more days before heading back to Los Angeles without getting Pacquiao?s nod.
Arum did not divulge how much Pacquiao would earn in the April bout but it would be much more than what had been Barrera was guaranteed, the 75-year-old lawyer said.
Pacquiao received $ 3 million when he fought Erik Morales last month.
“We promised the Filipino people that what we are going to do with Manny Pacquiao would be something special. You?ll never see anything like it. Manny is a superstar here and even in the US among Filipinos, but our goal is to make Pacquiao a world-wide star,” said Arum, who was on the same Philippine Airlines flight with Pacquiao that arrived in Manila from General Santos shortly before noon yesterday.
The Harvard-educated Arum stressed that in the event Top Rank fails to convince Barrera?s promotional outfit GBP, he will go over a short list of opponents and head to Macau and put on a show at the newly-opened Wynn Casino on the same date.
While Pacquiao?s decision to be promoted by Top Rank sat well with his handlers, De la Hoya is expected to continue fight to handle the Filipino fighter. He is expected to bring the matter to court.
De la Hoya?s promotions outfit actually was the first to sign Pacquiao who signed a seven-fight contract last Sept. 19 in Los Angeles which Arum later said was invalid since Pacquiao had just come out of a 13-hour flight from Manila when asked to affix his signature.
The past few days, GBP had threatened to announce a fight between Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez on March 17, 2007, that would leave Pacquiao probably losing a rich million paycheck.
Arum also assured everyone that the Pacquiao deal is the best he could ever get.
He said that should the case go to court, his outfit would hire the lawyers, pay for them and in the unlikely event that they lose the case and is assessed a penalty, Top Rank will pay for the damages.
“If we lose, we are liable but Manny Pacquiao will be indemnified. He has no risks here, financially,” said Arum.
Arum said his outfit is tapping the expertise of Daniel Petrocelli, a top litigator who has had experience with OJ Simpson and Disney, to lead the fight for Top Rank and Pacquiao.
In the past, it was Pacquiao who shelled out money to hire the services of top-notch lawyers in a legal battle with former promoter Murad Muhammad.
